Brazil is the largest country in South America and Latin America and covers a vast area of over 8.5 million square km, making it the fifth-largest country by area in the world. Its extensive territory comprises a vast array of different ecosystems and is known for having an immense biological diversity globally. Brazil is most famous for the iconic Rio de Janeiro Carnival, Iguaçu Falls, world-class footballers, and the mighty Amazon Basin.
Spanning over 7.5 million km², the Amazon Basin is home to the Amazon River, the second-longest river in the world and the largest by discharge volume. With a river of such epic proportions, it comes as no surprise that it’s home to over 300 different fish species. To the travelling angler, it presents a unique and extremely varied fishing opportunity.
The jewel in the crown for South American fishing, Brazil is most famous for fly fishing, with anglers targeting the colourful Peacock Bass, the jurassic looking Apapaima, Tambaqui and other Pacu members. These stunning fish attract anglers from all over the world, hoping to find a hard fighting specimen whilst fishing in some of the most beautiful surroundings on the planet.
Below we have listed the main destinations for you to choose from
Silver King Tarpon fishing in Brazil, is the first fly-only Tarpon fishing operation in South America and is a unique experience created for travelling rods looking to sample some world-class fly fishing sport. It offers anglers unprecedented numbers of fish and those with excellent average sizes.
The fishing at the Rio Marie Lodge is some of the best found anywhere in Brazil, and this isn't just a guess; it's a fact. The river holds at least double the quantity of trophy-sized Peacock Bass compared with any other destination in the Rio Negro basin and offers travelling rods the chance to sample some explosive sport.
Across this spectacular wilderness territory, the protected, mythological Xingu River, flows over granite bedrock, running clear and allowing for sight-fishing opportunities for a wide variety of species. But what sets Xingu apart from anywhere else in the Amazon are the impressive numbers of large Payara - one of the hardest-hitting and strongest fighting fish in the Amazon.
Kendjam Lodge in the Xingu basin, which the Iriri River is part of, is now the first official sport fishing operation in Brazil, located inside an Indigenous Territory. It offers the most intense jungle fishing experience found anywhere in South America and the World, giving freshwater fly anglers the chance to enjoy some truly wild, explosive mixed fishing.
Hosted by a Sportquest Holidays host, this exclusive trip to the depths of the Brazilian Jungle at Rio Marie Lodge offers travelling anglers the chance to fly fish for some of the largest Peacock Bass found anywhere in the Amazon Basin and the world. This fishing operation is undoubtedly one where anglers can pursue and conquer the dream of a world record on the fly.
Visit the best destination in the world to catch Arapaima all exclusively on the fly. Enjoy 6.5 days fishing at Pirarucu Lodge, the largest Arapaima fishing reserve on this planet, all set in the stunning Amazon rainforest. Also, how about, on average, catching 3.5 Arapaima each day, plus many other species all on your fly rod.
Peacock Bass is the most incredible game fish in the Amazon basin; it is the fish that has received the most attention. Their remarkable explosive topwater strike combined with an astonishing ability to break heavy lines and straighten even stout saltwater hooks makes them one of the most sought after species in the world.
Join us on an amazing Amazon adventure where just 6 lucky guests each week will have the daily opportunity to catch Arapaima all exclusively on the fly. With 6.5 days of pure magic ahead of each group, this will be an adventure you will remember for a very long time. This holiday is fully hosted based around single anglers to join like-minded anglers.
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In Brazil, the Pirarucú Lodge is in the world-famous Mamirauá Reserve, Brazil’s first Sustainable Development Reserve. An area covering more than one million hectares, it’s renowned for its fantastic wildlife, with 427 species of mammal, 1,300 bird species, 378 species of reptiles, and more than 400 species of amphibians. It’s also one of the best places in the world for fly fisherman to target the mighty Arapaima, with fish between 20lb-400lb regularly landed.
If it’s Peacock Bass you’re looking for, our area in the River Plate is the perfect habitat. Although many well-established land-based lodges, including our former Jufari and Tapera Lodges, most of the best fishing is found 2 to 3 hours upriver. For this, we use floating lodges. Unlike the traditional live-aboard and commercial fishing boats, restricted to areas where low water doesn’t prevent passage, these lodges allow you and your guides to navigate these to get to the best fishing. Our unique mobility will enable us to fish in areas above natural barriers: shallow waters, sandbars and rapids.
In the Amazon region, the dry season is around the months of Septemeber through to mid-December. During the wet season, Amazonian rivers can rise a massive 12 meters or more, overflowing their banks and flooding vast areas of forest. These flooded areas provide extra cover for the baitfish; the predators, especially Peacock Bass, follow them into the flooded vegetation where they become impossible to catch. As the water subsides during the dry season, the fish make there way back into the main river to avoid being stranded by the quickly drying floodplain. It’s then when the fish are most catchable.
Fly fishing for the Peacock Bass is one of the most popular forms of fishing in Brazil; however, they can also be caught on both lures and bait. The fishing is from our unique shallow-draft tunnel type vessels that can freely traverse almost any water level, including virtually landlocked lagoons, meaning we can reach and fish the very best spots and where others can’t.
Like Largemouth Bass, Peacock Bass often prefer a structure of some sort. Rocks, fallen logs, points and sand bars are hiding places for baitfish, so this is where the Peacock Bass will usually be lurking. Casting a fly to these structures and to showing fish is the best way to catch them. The fish hit hard and will readily engulf any fly stripped past them.
Fly fishing for Arapaima is from our professional flats skiffs, very similar to fishing for giant Tarpon. They produce memorable takes, fight extremely hard and are often very acrobatic. A lot of the fishing for them is on sight. The fish’s air-breathing nature will give you a second or two to decipher which direction they are travelling and how quickly, allowing you to cast your fly, lure or bait appropriately.
Fish of 10-80lb are common and along with good numbers of fish. An impressive statistic is the catch rate; over the last three seasons, the catch rate has been 3.8 Arapaima per angler per day.
For the majority of fly fishing, a 10-weight rod and a matching floating fly line are suffice. If you’re fishing and targeting the huge Arapaima, then a 12-weight rod with sink tips and a full sinking fly line is needed. The fish are typically found around structure and will give you the fight of your life.
If you want to lighten your set-ups, then there is a fantastic array of other super fun species to target. There is no other place where you can catch so many Arowanas on the fly. For this, anything from 6-8 weight will be perfect.
If you prefer lure fishing, then heavy spinning rods, lines and strong gauged hooks are a must for both the Peacock Bass and Arapaima.
The majority of the fishing is from a boat, and you’re not required to walk or hike long distances, but the terrain and conditions are not for the faint-hearted; you’re in the middle of a jungle after all.
You will fly overnight from the UK to land in Sao Paulo; you will then fly to Manaus, where you will be met by a Sportquest representative and transferred to the camp.
